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Mendota Mental Health Institute’s

7th ANNUAL VIRTUAL CONSUMER CONFERENCE:

Transcending Mental Illness Before, During, and After Incarceration

Friday, May 6th | 9:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

** Credits for certified peer specialists available**

 ASL INTERPRETERS PROVIDED

Ramiah Whiteside is the Associate Director and Prison RVP Inreach Coordinator for EXPO and WISDOM. After 25 years of incarceration, Ramiah began his work with EXPO in 2019 with the purpose of shining a light of awareness and truth where others refuse to acknowledge. For example, mental health while incarcerated is not discussed enough, even though most incarcerated women, men, and youth suffer from at least one mental health challenge. Through daily contact with men and women currently incarcerated in Wisconsin, he learns about what is happening inside Department of Corrections facilities that is often kept hidden – either purposefully or by negligence – from people on the outside. For example, Ramiah found out that at least eight people he knew personally died from COVID while inside when they could have been released years ago. Those individuals’ stories – and many others like them – shine light on how little some communities care about the lives of those who are incarcerated.

Ramiah uses these stories and his own experiences to support system-impacted individuals in living successfully inside and outside. He also uses his powerful voice to share these stories with legislators, media, and communities to advocate for change within the system. His goal in all of this work is to see the use of any form of incarceration be the absolute last resort, rather than the first choice, in our penal system.

PRESENTATION SUMMARY:

Ramiah will share his lived experiences during his 25-year incarceration, including pivotal turning points in his life such as his treatment while housed at the Wisconsin Resource Center, and the skills he learned that enabled him to transition back to the Department of Corrections (proper) and then back to the community. Ramiah realized that if he wanted a different outcome, he had to do some things differently. This is his journey.

Co-sponsored by: NAMI Wisconsin

REGISTRATION INFORMATION

To register for this conference please use the provided link: https://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/6780974/7th-Annual-Consumer-Conference

Register by:  April 22, 2022

You will receive the Zoom link at least a week before the conference

Call Maria Hanson at 608-301-1444 with any questions.